Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-05-27

L
Pritchnrd continued, "thc spring is
backward, an it do peer like the
seasons is gittin' slower an slower
every year. wy, come in, Mr.. Rob
crtson. Didn't low yer wuz on thcr
place. Lowed yer wuz out saunterin'
roun' summers. Martha, give Mr.
Robertson cr cheer l clar ter good
ness. girls amt got no raisin' these
days"
"You still persist in regarding me as
company" said Robertson, seating
himself.
YES, an putty good 60 np'ny, too,
| when yer feel like talkin'," the girl re-
piled.
"rll be bound fur YOU" said the old
lady, getting up. WAL" she added,
"rcckon I'd better see orbout gittin'
NV cr snack ter eat, "
"rll git it, maw."
mo, I'm crbleegcd ter yer" (giving
the girl u significant look) II druther
do it myself. fur l feel like stirrin'
round cr little"
When the widow had left the room,
Robertson, turning to the girl, re-
marked:
II think that I've found good fish
ing place, away over here in small
stream running down from the hills.
That's Oak Fork" Martha replied.
Good fishing, 1 supposed"
Il reckon so"
Suppose We go over this after
noon"
wall, cf mother IL let me-"
At the dinner table the old lady's
permission was asked. She hcsitatcd,
automatically, and said with solemn
plconasm that she didn't reckon thar
would be no harm in it"
As they walked in the woods, vel
vety and green in welcome to the COM
ing of May, Robertson said:
Don't you think, Martha, that the
length of time we have been acquainted
warrants you in talking to me more
than you doP"
She looked at him, and then, with an
effort to drive away tender appeal
which shone in her eyes, replied:
II thought that l talked ter yer er
good 'cal."
"But you don't"
II will, then. Whut must I suyP"
looking up with smile that made her
face radiant.
"Any thing.
"Wall, then, any thing"
They both laughed; and he caught
her hand mischicvously, declaring that
he would lead her back home. Had
the love she bore him shown itself in
her eyes, he would, at that moment,
have thrown his arms around her. He
loved her. His judgment arose against
it; he had thought every hour of her
lack of education, but he loved her.
~ could excuse her ignorance if she
only had the least bit of sentiment, of
something that bespeaks warm heart
and largencss of soul, he had often
argued deep within himself; "but she
has nothing except that unaccountable
power that has bewitched me. l will
20 away tomorrow" The next day
he had studied her with the penetra-
tion of still deeper ycarning and had
sworn, Mt night, that he would go
away tomorrow; butIthe days glidcd
on and the buds on the dahlia bushes
in the yard unfolded and were lcaycd
II will go tomorrow" he had sworn
again. "She is nothing; painting by
master, but there is no generous
warmth about her. | will go to-mor-
row if God spares my life" The eggs
in the bluebird's nest were hatched,
and the young birds twittercd in the
honeysuckle's shade but the young
man had not gone.
They sat on the bank of the stream.
This is a beautiful spot" he said.
YES" she replied.
II wonder" he said, with excusablc
sentimcntality, "if that mountain is
weeping and that this stream is its
flood of tears.
II don't know" she replied, throw
ing a pebble into the water.
As they walked toward home he
mused: 81 will go away tomorrow if
inc LOlu spares my lllc'
The bloom fell from the peach trees,
the pea-vines had been "stuck," but
still he fingered,
"Martha," said the widow, one day
when Robertson had gone out alone,
81 don't b'leve-bcfo' thcr Lawd /
don't b'levo-that thar's er bit NV use
in talkin' ter yer"
"What er bout, mawp"
"Oh, shet yer mouth, yer little
fool"
"Wall, nav, wouldnter opened X
ef yer hadentcr made me-"
mo, an that's ther trouble with
yer Never do nothin' unless yer air
made"
"Wall, then, let me runcrway, some
whar"
"Yes, ycr'd cut er putty caper, now,
wouldn't yer? My stars er live, w'y'nt
yer marry that manP" 2,
"He hain't axcd me-"
"W'y don't hep"
81 hain't axed him."
al do know-I do know in my soul
that yer air ther provokinist critter
ever seed in all ther borned days uy
my life. | tell yer, my lady, yer'l
never git sich cr mother chance as long
as yer liye-never-never In thii
world"
"Mother, when yer begged me,
told yer whut thought NV him; but
KANT hep doin' ms do. KANT gesi
tell yer how feel erbout it. 1t mou
be, MS yer put it, that ] aint got M
sense, an cf that is thcr case, l dom
reckon le is er ncedin' NV me very
much. I've got some little pride crbou
! me, NAV, an | amt as biz er fool al